The 0-4 start isn't unprecedented; the squad racked up the same sorry stat in 1964, 1994 and 1999. But the sense of déjà vu triggered by yesterday's collapse recalls the feeling that fans had on January 28, 1990, when the Broncos were blown out in their fourth consecutive Super Bowl. We've seen this movie before, and it doesn't have a happy ending.
As with many disaster flicks, the story started happily. The Broncos built a 17-3 second-quarter lead on the strength of Joe Flacco touchdown passes to tight end Noah Fant (who briefly seemed to justify his status as the outfit's number-one draft pick) and wide receiver Courtland Sutton, and gave up just three more points going into halftime. But after intermission, the defense, which had previously shown signs of life (Von Miller and company recorded five more sacks than they had in the previous three tilts combined), suddenly transformed from steel into tissue paper. Jags running back Leonard Fournette was unstoppable, ultimately registering 225 yards (the sort of total he racked up at LSU), and ’70s porn-star lookalike Gardner Minshew hurled two touchdown passes en route to a 23-17 advantage.
The Broncos weren't done...yet. Just as he'd done in Chicago, Flacco led Denver to a go-ahead TD as the clock ran down. All the Broncos needed to do was to hold the Jags scoreless for around ninety seconds and they'd secure the win. But that was too big an ask. Aided by a roughing-the-passer penalty that wasn't as egregious as the one for which Bradley Chubb was flagged in the Windy City, Minshew quickly steered Jacksonville into field-goal range, and kicker Josh Lambo casually booted the pigskin through the goal posts and straight down the Broncos' throats.
This sequence of events is directly responsible for the turn against Fangio. In the beginning, he was seen as a a pleasant contrast to his predecessor, excuse-maker extraordinaire Vance Joseph, owing to his penchant for straight talk and the way he shrugged off a kidney stone during a pre-season game. But what had been a potentially stellar but underperforming defensive unit prior to his arrival has become demonstrably worse under his supervision: less explosive and more capable of breaking rather than bending. And Fangio's taking the lion's share of the blame. Suddenly, there's a Fire Fangio Twitter handle and a Moveon.org petition advocating for his ouster.
Granted, the petition has a grand total of one signature at this writing, and even some Twitterpated boosters think it's too soon to give Vic the heave-ho. But the season's start has already eroded the patience of many loyalists. See what we mean by counting down our picks for the most memorable post-game tweets below.
Number 20:
Fire Fangio. This is ridiculous
— Rick Morris (@RickMorris6) September 30, 2019
Number 19:
Because Fangio runs a coward defense. Sitting back and not attacking goes against everything this team stands for. Elway fucked up big time this time.
— FireFangio (@B503Bronco) September 30, 2019
Number 18:
Wait! What? You mean all the moron ?@Broncos? fans calling to fire Elway have it wrong and the defense sucks? Gee imagine that. Vic Fangio says Broncos' defense was pushed around by Leonard Fournette, Jaguars - via @ESPN App https://t.co/Kzod0Riyp9
— MFParadise (@MFParadise1) September 30, 2019
Number 17:
Fire Fangio. Hire Munchak by mid night. Fire Elway and hire Shanahan for GM by the end of the week. Just saying we got options.
— John Klipka (@jmklipka) September 30, 2019
Number 16:
Fire Elway
— Jim Blaney (@JimBlaneyWI) September 30, 2019
Fire Fangio
Trade Von
Trade Sanders
Trade CHJ
Number 15:
#BroncosCountry is making me nauseous! Y'all wanna fire fucking Vic already?!? . Seriously, you're being worse than children. Just like you all were calling for Vance to be fired after every fucking game last year and I continued saying he's a small percentage of the problem...
— Flame Man (@Flame_urhomie) September 30, 2019
Number 14:
Fire Vic Fangio @Broncos and get rid of John elway too while you’re at it
— j_cordz (@jeremy_c4) September 30, 2019
Number 13:
@Broncos fire fangio. Shanny is looking really good right now.
— Jeff Hough (@saddletramp69) September 29, 2019
Number 12:
I don't know about the rest of #BroncosCountry but maybe it's time for Vic Fangio to find a new job pic.twitter.com/wBleOWH0L2
— Kim (@DragonFire603) September 29, 2019
Number 11:
So, where do I get in the line for the anti-Fangio Club? Some defensive genius! His guys can't even stop the Jags! Fire his useless ass now!
— Timothy J. Thornton (@TimothyJThornt1) September 29, 2019
Number 10:
#firefangio yeah hes not good terrible coach rather have Vance back honestly.
— Gerardo Medina (@GerardoMedina17) September 29, 2019
Number 9:
Team needs to tank rest of the season, get one of the 3 stellar QBs in the draft, fire Elway and Fangio, hire Peyton Manning as GM and get a young offensive minded head coach. https://t.co/0kY6z0SfWC
— J-Bird (@jbird188) September 29, 2019
Number 8:
@Broncos Fire Fangio & Elway at the end of the season. This ain’t Broncos football, we suck. #tankfortua
— Danny J. Pacheco (@djpacheco15) September 29, 2019
Number 7:
@johnelway please fire Vic Fangio, he is a detriment to the team, hand cuffing everyone. His interim coach cannot be worse. Up fourteen then call conservative offensive and defense. Seriously go home. No place for him.
— Seth Kirk (@MovieSeth26) September 29, 2019
Number 6:
This has to be unacceptable to the Denver brass. Changes needed to be made, hate saying it but someone needs to go #Elway or #Fangio. #broncos #firefangio
— joshwein (@joshwein2) September 29, 2019
Number 5:
This team deserves to go 0-16 #FireEveryone #FireElway #cutFlacco #SuckfortheDuck #FireFangio
— Neal N (@tmeffort) September 29, 2019
Number 4:
End of the half defensive play calls. End of the game defensive play calls. Nuff said. @Broncos #FireFangio
— Bob Loomerhead (@primeloomis) September 29, 2019
Number 3:
#fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #fireelway #firefangio #JAXvsDEN
— Marc Witter (@marc_witter) September 29, 2019
Number 2:
WOW! The Broncos have lost two games in that kind of horrendous and devastating fashion. It is hard to rebound from one loss like that, let alone two. When the Broncos get a chance, they should probably fire Vic Fangio.
— Grant H. Tuttle (@GrantTMNTuttle) September 29, 2019
Number 1:
Fire Vic Fangio https://t.co/Opsyo6Yhsk @moveon
— Martin Marioni (@martin_marioni) September 29, 2019
